Forever Love
by haruka faraway
Summary: The heroine is a villager of Sanctuary whose name is Yura. Saga saves her life and gradually they get close to each other. The story begins before Saga's incident. A heartwarming but bittersweet love story. See Saga and Kanon's brotherhood as well.
1. 01 Longing

**-Side Yura-**

Even though you fell into a dark side, I still loved you, because I knew you were in agony...

Even now, I still love you.

I miss you so much with sweet heartache.

So tender and with a heart as beautiful as your appearance...

The only man I was in love with from the bottom of my heart, Saga...

The first time I met Saga was when we were both 15 years old.

Saga, the head candidate of the next Pope, was adored and surrounded by villagers, although I was too intimidated to talk to him, so I was just staring at him from outside the circle of the people.

I always thought, "What a beautiful and tender person.", and I longed for him, dreaming of how wonderful it would be if he became Pope because he was that attractive...

Aioros was very popular among children for being friendly and playing with them whenever he visited the village of Sanctuary.

Both of them were loved by the villagers, but I was in awe and felt I couldn't be close to them, even though I was attracted to Saga somehow.

I was so envious of people who could talk and be friendly with Saga

I never thought a turning point would come to a girl like me at that moment...

**-Side Saga-**

Every time I visited the villages, I socialized with them, looking forward to Athena's birth. I encouraged them by informing them of the joy of her rebirth, and we were celebrating together.

From children to elders, all of them were waiting for Athena's rebirth happily and I was always surrounded by them.

This is one of the duties of elder Gold Saints.

I'm not sure since when, but I started to realize there was a girl who didn't join the villagers, looking at me with a longing expression.

At first I thought she was just a shy girl, but as I gradually saw her looking at me, I noticed her eyes were full of aspiration toward me.

Since then, unlike my usual, I started to follow her in the eyes.

When my eyes met hers, she averted her eyes bashfully.

If I looked away from her, I detected a whiff of her gaze.

Someday, I want to talk to her while looking into her eyes...

Casting my mind back over that now, that was a moment she started to attract me.

And soon after that, the occasion where I got close to her came...

**-Side Yura-**

I was all alone, having no relatives, so I had to spend the most of my day on housekeeping such as delivering foodstuff, drawing the water from the well and so on.

Born to a Greek mother from Sanctuary and a Japanese father , something which was unheard of in the village, my mother and I received cold treatment from the villagers.

The ill treatment she received caused a lot of strain on my mother, unable to withstand it, she eventually became physically and mentally ill and passed away young.

There were people who felt a pity for me, and they sometimes supported me, but basically I was all alone.

Staring at Saga was the only moment that I could forget my loneliness.

On that day as usual, I was on my way back home from drawing the water from the well.

I found Saga unusually standing alone in a field of flowers with a sorrowful face, looking at faraway in the sky.

I was fascinated by his face, standing with my hands holding the pails.

It was the moment. As soon as Saga looked at me with a stern face, he shouted, "Dangerous!". He rushed to me with an astonishing speed and then held me up and jumped back.

Saga made a chopping motion in front of me, who was confused with not knowing what was going on, I saw flower petals scattered and also a venomous snake divided into pieces .

From the dreadful scene made me shiver, terrorized with fear, I clung to his chest in spite of myself.

"You are safe now. There is nothing to worry about any more. Sorry for scaring you."

"Please don't apologize. Thank you for saving me."

I never imagined that I would talk to my longing Saga that way.

My heart was throbbing.

Saga patted me on the head with a perplexed expression.

"I'm sorry for spoiling all your efforts to bring the water all the way to here."

"I am sorry, Saga. You got soaking wet."

"It'll get dry very soon, no problem. Anyway, what is your name?"

"Yura."

"Yura? Are you Japanese? You don't look like a Japanese girl at all though..."

"My mother is Greek and my father is Japanese. Although both are gone now..."

"I see...That's why you draw the water all by yourself. Since my actions caused you to spill it let me draw the water for you."

"What!? Impossible...! I can't let Gold Saint do something like that!"

"A gold Saint must not forsake a girl all alone in the world."

"But..."

"Okay. Well then. How about having lunch with me at your house? Think of it as gratitude."

I went speechless because of Saga's such offer.

I was happy enough to see him from the distances, but being saved my life and having lunch with him...!

I blushed and nodded.

**-Side Saga-**

The reason why I stood alone the outskirts of the village and looked faraway was because I had a quarrel with Kanon.

I got irritated with him, who gradually liked dark deeds and incite me to do things which Saints must not do, so I knocked him out and left.

I just ran and ran, and without realizing I came to the outskirts of the village.

When I was looking at a blue sea faraway absentmindedly, I noticed the gaze which I knew.

I inadvertently looked there, that girl stood still, staring at me with her arms holding pails.

Before I met her eyes, I noticed a venomous snake creeping toward her.

I held her up and jumped away, and killed it with throwing a chop.

I never imagined coming across her like that.

I talked to her, who always looked somehow sorrowful and distant, for the first time.

Yura...having no family, all alone in the world...

With wavy brown hairs, green eyes surrounded by the mysterious orangish edge of irish which makes me feel like being drawn into them, and well-formed Greek beautiful nose...

She didn't look half of Greek and Japanese at all.

It was my first time to see her that close.

I noticed that I turned over her pails.

In dry Greek climate, the places where you can get water are limited.

Delivering the water all by herself is a hard labor.

I felt a pity for her so I offered to do it instead of her.

She refused it but I didn't allow her another choice.

By making her have lunch with me, I got her agreement.

I wanted to talk with her more.

Now that I know the reason why her eyes were full of sorrow, I wanted to save her.

She reminded me of my brother Kanon, who I can never save, The only difference was unlike Kanon who is a strong boy, she was a weak girl.

If I could help her from sadness, I want to be with her as much as I could.

I didn't want sad existence like Kanon anymore.

I wished from the bottom of my heart.

This was our encounter.

Unknowing the fate where I would end up hurting her terribly later on, we met.

If we didn't, she would've never got hurt.

Still, I was happy despite the fate.

Because she taught me the meaning of true love...


	2. 02 His natural face

**02 his natural face**

**-Side Yura-**

To prepare lunch, I was thinking hard about what will make Saga satisfied.

Saga and I are at the same age, but he is very tall and has beautiful sculptures like muscles.

I wondered if there is something which contains lots of proteins, but I only had vegetables and some mutton.

It would take some time, but I decided to make Greek salad which is salty Greek cheese on vegetables, and Moussaka which is like lasagna but with meat and vegetables in layers, and cheese on top of it.

They are traditional Greek cuisines.

They seem to be like a proper lunch to serve with fruits.

I usually finish my lunch briefly, so it has been a long time to cook in earnest.

May it get done without any troubles!

I prayed.

When I was finished cutting the food, and putting them in layers, Saga came back with two pails easily.

"Yura, where should I pour the water in?"

"Would you pour it in the water-jar in the kitchen?"

"Sure."

When Saga was pouring water into the water-jar, I heard his small laugh and looked at him.

"Well, you are really enthusiastic."

"Because you are my guest. Moreover you are a gold saint."

"I am a gold saint, but at the same time I am just a man. I feel happy with the smell of good cuisines. I like Moussaka. Greek salad as well. I'm looking forward to them."

I felt happy to hear him say that..

I hope I won't mess up anything...!

While I was baking the Moussaka in an oven, I served salad, fruits and grapefruits juice to Saga.

"Sit down and wait for a while."

"I see."

The table and chairs looked poor and I was ashamed, but a promise was a promise.

I had never imagined that I would have lunch with my adored Saga like this.

When the Moussaka was baked and I served it on the table, Saga's eyes shined.

I was surprised to see Saga like this since I always saw Saga with a divine atmosphere around.

"What's wrong? Why don't you sit down?"

"Y...Yes. Let's have lunch before it gets cold."

Saga nodded casually, and prayed "Thank Athena." and then he started to eat the Moussaka first.

I was anxious, wondering if my dishes are Saga's taste and staring at him, he smiled gently.

"It's delicious. I would finish eating pretty soon."

"Really?"

"Yes."

As he said so, he ate Moussaka one ofter another with an urbane manner, and he looked like unsatisfied a little.

His face expression was so fresh to me, I thought him sort of cute in a way.

I chuckled and said, "You can have another helping."

He answered with pleasure, "Really?"

I smiled and talk to him.

"I never imagined you eat this much."

"If I order too maintain this body, I have to eat to some extent. Otherwise I can't keep it."

"I see. Please eat salad, too."

"I know."

I served salad into his plate from the bowl, and he ate it with cheese and then smiled sweetly.

I thought his face expression heartwarming.

I went to the kitchen to bring the rest of the Moussaka and served it into Saga's dish.

I was thinking of having the leftover food for dinner, but seeing him pleased like this, I thought it didn't matter.

...There was not alot of food leftover, so for a couple of days I will feel hungry...

"You are really good at cooking, Yura."

"I usually don't cook like this. You are special to me."

"Am I special?"

"Yes. A girl can't eat this much alone, and I don't have enough food, either. I happened to have these today."

"Uh...I see. I feel sorry for what I did."

He stopped eating as his face looked sad.

"No, no! You saved my life. If I had died, everything would have been wasted. So I'm happy if you enjoy my dish."

"I got it. Well then, why don't we go to the market next time? I feel relaxed here, so relaxed that I can forget that I am a gold saint and just be human. Oh, I see...You kind of resemble to him. Can I come here again?"

"Uh...Are you kidding...? To whom I resemble?"

"It's my secret. I can't tell a lie. That's my personality. This is my honest feeling. It's strange because we have just got to know each other."

I was amazed at Saga's offer and I went speechless, my face blushing.

As he told me so, his atmosphere was totally different then usual and he seemed very relaxed.

So what he said might be truth from the bottom of his heart.

And yet staying with me makes him relaxed...!

Going out with just two of us...!

With that Saga of Gemini the person I'm always longing for...!

Still he has a status as a gold saint.

If he is seen with me, it would affect his good reputation...

"Saga...I'm so happy to hear that, but an exemplary gold saint shouldn't... I was longing for you. I'm happy enough to see you like this, being with just two of us. So I shouldn't see you anymore..."

"I'll come to see you in secret. I've been looking at you. I always thought someday I wanted to talk to you. I don't want to admit that this is the end. Still do you refuse me?"

I was startled to know that he was looking at me as I was looking at him, which made me happy.

I thought only I cared about him, but he was the same...

"I want to remedy your loneliness. Won't you let me do that?"

I couldn't refuse him anymore since he said so sadly and he was so beautiful.

Moreover it was Saga, the person I adore will remedy my loneliness...

I nodded wondering if it was really okay.

"Yes, please..."

The next moment Saga smiled gently and happily.

I was attracted to his smile and stared at his beautiful face with my heart beating so fast.

He started to have lunch again and cleaned his plate, smiling sweetly.

I have seen his various face expressions today.

"Yura, Isn't it hard to go shopping from here? It's outskirts of the village. Why don't we go to the market together?"

"Saga, I'm glad to hear that, but I'm poor, so..."

I was ashamed, but it was a truth.

When I told him so, he looked he blamed himself for what he said, and then smiled archly.

"Then I pay for you, because you cook for me. I'm looking forward to choose food at the market, imagining of your dishes. Then isn't it alright?"

"What...?"

"Or do you dislike me?"

He suddenly looked sad again.

There is no way I dislike him!

I was longing for him so much!

"No, I don't. I was always looking at you for a long time..."

"Then I want to come here again. I always wanted to look into your face closer."

He left his seat and stood in front of me, and looked into my eyes.

"The color of your eyes is mysterious and beautiful. They are pure and show your honest personality. I feel like I'm being drawn in by your eyes."

He was fascinated by my eyes for a space.

His eyes of Aegean Sea gazing at my eyes which I don't know how they look, my heart started to beat fast without noticing.

Suddenly, his face got close to me, and he held me gently.

Soon after that he kissed me on my cheeks.

I felt his masculine arms holding me, and that made me throbbing almost painfully.

"I want to stay here longer, but I have to go back to my temple. I'll come here to see you in secret, so wait for me."

I went to the entrance of the hut to see him off.

He went away, looking back again and again.

To tell the truth, the one who wanted to see you again was me.

I wanted to see Saga who shed the status of gold saint and returning to just a 15 aged boy again and again.

We both didn't know that would lead us to be attracted to each other helplessly...


	3. 03 Awakening of Love

**-Side Saga-**

I was dreaming at that night.

A voice, which is not mine nor Kanon's was ridiculing me.

"Saga, don't make me laugh you have a pure heart. You can't wait to dishonor Yura, can you? You followed her with your eyes all the time because you have a desire, didn't you? Until when are you going to cover your desire with the mask of justice, Saga?"

"Who are you!? The mask of justice!? Are you making a gibes at me!?"

"I am you. I am Saga, too. That's why I can see your desire. You want the position of Pope and Yura, too."

"Shut up! Pope will choose the next pope! Also I have just gotten to know each other with Yura! I never think of such a thing!"

"Hum...That's a spectacle. I will prove I am right some time. Huh...Hahahaha!"

"Stop it! Shut up!"

I woke up from the surprise at my voice.

I had nightly sweats terribly, and also the nightmare came back vividly, I clenched my fists.

I am said to be the next pope, but that's what people are saying, not me.

The feelings for Yura are still immature.

I just want to see her again, and want to see her to make me feel better.

There is no way I will dishonor her.

Probably...

I had the nightmare because I was inoculated with evil thoughts by Kanon.

He is a poor brother who is grown up to become my shadow, but he started to begin doing things which saints must not do, and even he started to incite me.

That's why I dreamed such a dream...

I went into my dining room and drank a glass of water to catch my breath.

Tomorrow is the day I made a promise with Yura.

The market is early.

I have to get up early in the morning.

Now is not the time for staying up in the middle of the night.

I changed my wet clothes and fell asleep without dreaming.

The next morning, when I went pick up Yura at her hut wearing casual wear, she was waiting for me nervously with her hand holding a basket.

I arrived here a little early, but she was waiting for me earlier.

Thinking of that, I had a ticklish feeling and her loveliness made my heart warm.

Oh, how pretty she is!

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Don't apologize. I was too early...Well...I was very happy to go out with you..."

She went slightly blushed and casted her eyes down.

As if her embarrassed atmosphere influenced me, I felt getting blushed.

I patted her head gently to hide my awkwardness.

She raised her eyes and opened her eyes wide looked surprised.

I felt as if I was drawn into her mysterious green eyes, we stared at each other for a while.

And then, I came to myself and held her hand softly.

"Let's go now, otherwise we'll be late."

"Sure."

She might be still too shy to hold my hand back.

Her being nervous was conveyed through her hand I was holding, I was somehow getting ashamed and had a ticklish feeling, so I couldn't hold her hand tight.

When we arrived at the center of the village, the market had already started, where voices call customers, crowded with many people.

I thought it would be a trouble if we got separated, I held Yura's shoulder and got close to each other.

I looked down on her, her face went blushed with a confused face expression.

"Saga, too close..."

"There is no choice. It'll be a trouble if we get separated."

"But..."

"Never mind. Follow me."

She stood still, but I pulled her shoulder tightly and started to walk with her.

I realized for the first time when I held her shoulder that she was delicately constituted.

Still, while I was touching a soft arm which is unique to ladies, I couldn't help being conscious of her, and I felt embarrassed helplessly.

We walked together with our face blushed.

"By the way, what are you going to buy, Yura?"

"Cheese, vegetables, fruits, and pita pan."

"What about meat?"

"Well...they are expensive, so I rarely buy them."

"I see. We'll buy as much as we want today. We buy meat and fish, too. I would like the blanch for today is fish. And then olives and..."

As I mentioned ingredients, she stared at me in round-eyed look with amazement.

"That much...!? And you can actually cook, can't you, Saga?"

I look after my brother, Kanon's food.

I know well about what is necessary for growing youth.

Kanon is a hidden existence.

I have no choice but to take care of him totally.

I feel depressed when I think of Kanon's behaviors, but it's unforgiven to be known by anyone, I smiled at Yura hiding my thought inside my heart.

"More or less. I need a lots of ingredients for satisfying myself, as a growing youth. I'm going to buy yours and mine, too."

There are ingredients left in Kanon's hut.

I can buy for him at the next market.

I walked casually as this place is familiar with me, eventually arrived at my habitual shop.

"Master, 2 kg of the usual, please."

"Oh, Lord Saga. Thank you very much as always. Oh, dear! Who is this lady? There's more to you than meets the eye. Are you having a date with her today?"

I got panicked in surprise at the word "a date", I felt my face went blushed.

And then I looked down on Yura, her eyes were wide open and she couldn't move at all.

Even her ears turned red.

"N...no, not a date. We only came here together to buy ingredients..."

"That's called a date in common, Lord Saga."

The shop owner was staring at us, smiling kindly.

"I'm glad to know a Gold Saint is a human like us. For the lady with you, I'll discount than usual."

"What!? That's not..."

"Oh, it's alright, don't worry. I'll discount anyway. And I'll give you the stuff more."

I couldn't decline his strong offer, I received more ingredients than I ordered with discount.

After that, it was same at all the shops and we went blushed each time.

"Uh...Saga? Is it okay? We got this much. Is it because of me?"

"Ah...yes. It's due to you, but being teased like this makes me feel embarrassed."

"Shouldn't I have come here...?"

She sadly lowered her eyes, with her eyes swimming with tears.

I answered her quickly.

"I am the one who wanted to come here with you. Being said to be a date is somehow embarrassing, but that's good, too."

"Still what a huge baggage...! Isn't it heavy?"

"I would lose a status as a gold saint if I gave up with this weight. I felt relieved I brought a big hemp bag. I never imagined they would give me this much."

As we shop around, the number of the people at the market getting few, our shopping finished.

"Yura, let's go home."

"Yes."

I took her hand and held her hand with my fingers interlocked.

She was surprised and stared at me.

"This is a date, isn't it? It can be allowed."

Ever since the market wasn't busy, I wasn't holding her shoulder and that made me feel disappointing.

I want to feel her more...

She was surprised with her eyes wide open, but then smiled like an angel and nodded holding my hand tight.

That made me delighted...I felt very happy so that I even wished the time to stop.

I didn't want this sour-sweet date to end soon, I especially walked slowly to go home.

That was the awakening of love toward Yura...

That was the moment she became my treasure which must not been dishonored...

To be continued...


	4. 04 Wild Strawberry

**-Side Saga-**

Ever since I went to the market with Yura, I started to visit her hut very often.

It wasn't everyday for I had to take care of young Gold Saints, but whenever I found time I went to see her.

Ar first she was awkward, but gradually she opened her heart and started to show me a warm smile while we are having meal together.

"I was all alone, but now you are with me. I don't feel lonely anymore. I never felt like this before."

"I see. I'm glad to hear that. I feel relaxed when I'm with you as if I am released from the duties of a Gold Saint."

I was certainly felt relaxed being with her, but my feeling which is burning inside my heart is not just peace of mind.

Yura who started to show her smile is lovely and I feel affectionate toward her.

Still, I didn't have a way to tell her my feelings.

Sometimes she also stares at me, seems like she wants to say something.

Her gaze is different from it used to be as when we went to the market together.

At first, her gaze was only an admired gaze, but now it's different.

She stares at me in a way she seems to be nervous, but at the same time she looks at me with a passionate and somehow attracted gaze very often.

At such a moment, we go speechless and our eyes meet.

I can't take my eyes off from her.

My heart throbs and I almost want to tell her, "I love you.", but it stops at my throat and never comes out as a sentence.

It consists of just simple three words.

Even so I can't tell her that I love her, which is because I really cherish her from bottom of my heart.

I'm also scared of how this relationship will change if I confess my love to her.

Each time I see her, my feeling becomes stronger.

At first it was a small passionate flame burning in my heart, but it gradually getting larger and it's almost painful, still it was a sweet pain.

I want to tell her my feelings...

But I can't...

We go out together very often recently.

We take a walk outside of the village where there are no people, and I pluck flowers and decorate them on her hair just for fun.

She smiles happily when I do so.

When she finds olive trees, sometimes she makes a crown of olive leaves and puts it on my head.

We giggle together saying that it's a festival of Olympia.

After we laugh for a while, our passionate gazes meet again.

I start to feel like I want to hold her tight so bad.

She reaches out her hand toward me slowly, then comes to herself and she puts back her hand quickly.

She looks ashamed with her face blushed.

Do we have the same feelings?

If we so...what shall I do...?

The nightmare I had before crosses my mind, telling me that I have a desire to dishonor her.

Is this feeling dishonored, too...?

I don't want to ditch the feeling which is sweet and burning in my heart.

I can't confine my feeling even though I can't confess my love to her.

I was caught in a dilemma.

One day, when I visited her hut, she had a basket with towels in it.

"What's up? Why are you preparing towels?"

"Well...I would like to go to a spring which is located on the outskirts of Sanctuary. I'm going to soak my feet into the spring. Isn't it great?"

"You are going to dabble in the water. That's not bad. That place is refreshing, too."

"That's right! I used to go there alone and felt lonely, but I'm looking forward to playing there now, because you are with me."

She was really lovely when she said so happily.

She had a twinkle in the mysterious green eyes, which made me happy, too.

"Well, shall we go now?"

"Yeah!"

I picked up her basket and held her hand with fingers interlocked.

How many times I spent time with her since I started to hold her hand like this?

Of course I have never neglected my duties as a Gold Saint.

I went to see her secretly whenever I found my free time.

And without even noticing it, we started to hold each other's hand like this always.

Nevertheless, I can't tell her a simple sentence, "I love you."

I wish my hand would convey my feeling to her...

I can't help making a wish.

As we walked along casually holding each other's hand, we arrived at the spring.

"Let's pick wild strawberries, Saga."

"Wild strawberries?"

"Yes. This is my secret place that I found. There are a couple of wild strawberry trees in this bush."

She took out a small basket from the larger one and hurried me pulling my hand.

I giggled and followed her.

There were a couple of wild strawberry trees, which have tons of the fruits.

She chose mellowed ones and picked them.

"Why not picking them together, Saga?"

"Yes, I will."

I looked into the trees from behind her as close as I almost touched her body, and picked mellowed ones and threw them into the basket.

She went blushed slightly and turned me around.

"You are really tall, Saga."

"Well, I am certainly tall compared to an average man's height. What's wrong?"

She shook her head as I asked her.

"Nothing...well...just my heart is throbbing, so..."

Hearing her whisper, I noticed that I am close enough to hold her in my arms, and I went blushed with my heart beating fast.

I kept a distance a little more and started to pick the wild strawberries again.

When the basket became full of them, she pulled my arm.

"Hey, why not eating them soaking our feet in the spring?"

"This much?"

"Hehe, I'll eat left over at home."

She took off her sandals and soaked her feet in the spring.

She started to splash water with her feet with a big smile.

"Come on, you are going to eat wild strawberries, aren't you?"

I held out a wild strawberry in front of her mouth.

She ate it happily and smiled at me.

And then she did the same thing to me.

I ate it, then mellowed sweet smell spread in my mouth, which made me feel happy and I smiled at her, too.

"Tastes great."

"Think so?"

"Yes."

"Glad to hear that. That's why I wanted to come here with you, Saga."

We started to give the wild strawberries to each other again, chatting and laughing.

Then suddenly she slipped her hip and fell into the spring.

I jumped into the spring in hurry.

Fortunately the depth of the spring was shallow, which is about up to my breast, but it seemed to be too deep for her, so I pulled her up and held her tight.

In the cold spring, it was warm only where we were touching each other.

That was the first time that I held her tight.

Her face was wet with water.

I wiped it with my hand, and accidentally I touched her lips.

She slightly went blushed, and she showed the face expression that she wanted to say something again with passionate gaze...

I was attracted by her beautiful green eyes and we stared at each other.

I think my gaze was the same as hers.

My burning feeling in my heart began to overflow.

The words which used to stop at my throat and couldn't say until now began to overflow, too.

"Yura, I cherish you...well..I mean, I...I love you."

It was very easy if I speak out the words.

I felt embarrassed because it was such an awkward confession, but she opened her eyes wide and then smiled very happily.

"I cherish you, Saga. I love you, too."

The confession triggered us.

We held each other as if we were tangled, and kissed slightly for the first time, but that didn't make me satisfied yet, I stole her lips passionately.

My first kiss smelled like a wild strawberry.

We couldn't stop kissing and pursued each other's lips again and again.

Then I heard that voice again in my mind.

"What I told you was true, Saga. You want to dishonor her."

"No! I love her with pure feelings! What is the problem if I cherish her! Shut up!"

"Ha! It's a spectacle until when you can keep pure heart. Huh, ha ha ha ha ha!"

That voice faded out with a loud laughter.

That was the sign that I started to go insane.

Even though I loved her, that was a sign that I would dishonor her in the future.

I didn't notice it at all at that time.

All we were doing was kissing each other passionately with great pleasure...

To be continued...


	5. 05 Brother

**-Side Saga-**

My nightmare was getting worse and worse.

In the dream, I became a Pope in place of Athena and trying to conquer the world.

In another dream, I push down Yura who is refusing me by force, and I grope her body in a indecent way.

They were all me, but not me.

Whenever I had such dreams, I woke up with my voice in anger, and I cried with mortification and sadness without wiping my tears.

This is too terrible.

I don't want a whole world.

I want to fight for just protecting Athena.

I love Yura.

Someday, when Athena allows our wedding, I want to hold her tight in my arms as my bride.

Until then, I will never dishonor her and cherish her as much as I can.

Those dreams are not my will at all.

Thinking so makes me sad and painful and my tears don't stop overflowing.

That voice scoffs at me that those are my wishes again and again.

Until when I will be suffering from that voice...

I said to myself, "Shut up!", shaking my head with pouring tears, and I saw the dawn almost everyday.

One day, I visited Kanon as usual, he stared at me with his expression worried a little.

"Saga, your face is pale recently, are you alright?"

"It's just because of nightmares, no problem."

"Nightmares...? Do you think just nightmares make you so exhausted? I can't imagine."

"Kanon...It might be because of you. You always told me I'll become Pope and you'll become Kanon of Gemini in the face of the world. Moreover you said we'll rule supreme over the world."

"Your becoming Pope is virtually decided, isn't it? Then my becoming Kanon of Gemini is natural."

"That hasn't decided yet. Well...I'm scared. In the nightmares I rule supreme over Sanctuary, and even the world. And what is more, my precious Yura..."

I started to say so, but checked myself in the middle of the sentence.

Even though Kanon is my brother, I shouldn't have told him about my nightmares.

Also I thought to have a woman who I love already is disqualified as an exemplary Saint.

I can never ditch this love though...

Kanon raised his eyebrow in wonder, and started to laugh as if he was teasing me.

"Hey bro, who's Yura?"

"Th...That's..."

"Is that the name of your girl friend?"

"Uh...!"

As I couldn't answer his question, Kanon laughed happily and looked into my eyes.

"I feel relieved to hear that. Because you are too incorruptible and conservative, I thought someday you'll go insane, but you have a girlfriend."

I was afraid of the word "insane", and worried if that voice came back, but nothing happened at that time.

I let out a deep sigh.

There are things we can talk about secretly, because we are twins.

Since I babbled out my nightmares to him, maybe it doesn't matter so much if I talk about her to some extent, because Kanon is a hidden existence.

"Uh...Well...Yes."

"What's she like? Tell me."

"Let me see...Yura is half Japanese and half Greek of Sanctuary. Her Japanese father ditched the family and went missing. Her mother is Greek. Because of that, Yura and her mother had been badly dealt by the villagers, then eventually her mother passed away young. Now she is all alone in the world."

"Being all alone in the world, and being in the shadow..."

Kanon repeated my words with docile attitude and looked sadly.

And then he regained his strength, and seemed very curious.

"Hey, bro. Is half cute?"

"I don't know other half so I can't really compare. I think she is pretty. She doesn't have blonde hair and blue eyes, but her face looks definitely Greek. She doesn't look Japanese at all. Her hair is a lille wavy and its color is darker than blonde, like an amber. Her eyes are green and the edge of iris are orange. They are so beautiful and mysterious that I feel like I'm being drawn into her eyes. I can't really explain though."

"Wow, Greek feature, wavy amber hair and mysterious green eyes...Well then, how far have you gone so far?"

He smiled with full of meaning, and leaned forward with his eyes shining.

"What do you mean by how far...? We've never gone outside of Sanctuary."

I had no idea what he meant, and answered him in confusion.

He went speechless with astonishment and sighed.

"Such a dull sense, Saga! I meant it for example, holding each other's hand, kissing on the lips, and something further more!"

"What!?"

I couldn't say anything for I was too amazed.

Fur...Further more!?

"Kanon! You said something Saints shouldn't say again! Further more!?"

"Calm down, Saga. I don't expect you to do such things. Especially "further more". But it's ordinary to have a desire to hold your girlfriend in your arms, and yearn for kisses, isn't it?"

"Is...that so...?"

"Phew, you are really blockheaded. That's normal. I feel pity for the girl, Yura. As long as you are her boyfriend, she'll never experience kisses."

Kanon gave a deep sigh and looked up the ceiling.

I was annoyed at what he said, I glared at him.

Ever since the first time Yura and I kissed to each other, whenever I see her secretly, we kiss again and again.

Just holding her tight and kissing her make me delighted so much.

I spend such happy days with her.

The moment we look into each other's eye after kisses is hard to describe how sweet and happy!

Her being pity is such a false accusation!

"Yura is pitiful!? I kiss her! There's no reason to be pitied!"

When I raise my voice in anger, he opened his eyes widely.

"Do YOU kiss her?

"Right. Do you have anything to say to me?"

I was still glaring at him, and then he started to giggle with his hand touching his forehead, gradually the laughter became loud, eventually he was laughing so hard with a loud voice.

"What is so funny, Kanon!?"

"No, 'cause I'm so happy. Okay, alright. Ha ha! You are the same as me."

"Same as you...?"

"The kisses. Thinking that you eventually catch up with me makes me happy. I tell you in advance, but I'm not going further yet. Don't be mad at me."

"Don't surprise me. I see. I'm same as you, Kanon"

"Yeah, that's right."

He laughed happily again and poked my head.

"There's more to you than meets the eyes, Saga. The girl, Yura must be happy! But...what happened in the dreams? They are somehow threatening."

He looked worried again and stared at me.

I hesitated terribly for a while, but I decided to talk to him because I don't have anyone else to talk about it.

"Kanon...I can't tell such a thing except for you. In the dream, I see myself being a devil, totally different from me, and the devil violates Yura every night. All I can do is to look at the horrible scene through the very solid glass wall which I can't break, shouting at the devil to stop it. The nightmare repeats every night. The ambitious Pope's dream, too."

"I see..."

He cast down his eyes, and patted on my head.

"You are too eager. You put too much efforts on being a pure hearted Saint. You don't have to be stoic that much. You can become a Pope. I know you really want to become a Pope so that I won't live as your shadow, not as Kanon of Gemini officially. I can tell 'cause we are twins. That pressure makes you have such a mightmare, doesn't it? You don't tell the Pope that you want the position of the next Pope honestly, and you overstrain yourself instead."

"I can't say such an irreverent thing that I want the next Pope's position."

"Be honest when you are with me, my bro. And about Yura..."

"About Yura...?"

Kanon stared at me somehow enviously and smiled gently.

"You really love her, don't you? She is too precious to hurt her, isn't it?"

"Yes, exactly. That's why the nightmares hurt me. I really love her. I want to cherish her."

"I envy you. I've never fallen in love with anyone like you do. But I understand somethings. If you are really in love, kisses are not enough. You would want more, but if you would go further, you would have a fear that you wouldn't be able to come back again. You have a strong will that you don't want to do such a thing too much, which results in having a worst situation in the dream, right?"

"Then, the nightmare of conquering the world and the nightmare of Yura are...not my will?

"Of course blockheaded my brother wouldn't wish for such things!"

He smiled at me and then became serious looking.

"Saga...I think...If you really love her and she wishes so...uh...well...I think you can go further than kisses."

"Kanon!?"

"'Cause think about it! It's you, Saga. You can't love anyone but Yura, then you have to take her as a bride! There's no choice! Sooner or later the day has come. Then you don't have to hesitate at all!"

"Kanon...You inoculate me with dark deeds again! If Athena wouldn't allow our marriage, I give up her!"

"What!? If Athena wouldn't allow a man's happiness, she is not a goddess of love!"

"Don't insult Athena!

"Stop putting on a bold front!"

Right after that Kanon and I had a scuffle.

I wanted to be an admirable Saint.

I must have been an admirable Saint.

That was for Athena and Kanon, but why couldn't Kanon understand that!?

I was too blind to think so.

But...

Who was really true was Kanon.

If only I had listened to his words honestly...

If only I could live freely being honest to my heart...

I had never had such a burden and pressure.

I wouldn't have go insane.

I wouldn't hurt that many people in the future.

Including Kanon, Yura, and myself...

To be continued


End file.
